Brazilian touch helps Bordeaux recapture lead
PARIS - Two Brazilian goals helped champions Girondins Bordeaux recapture the lead in Ligue 1 with a 3-0 win at Nancy on Sunday. Bordeaux, who had lost their last two league games but who recorded a 2-0 midweek Champions League win over Juventus, owed their victory largely to Brazilian midfielders Fernando and Wendel.
"I think the players realised they could not carry on like this," Bordeaux coach Laurent Blanc told reporters, in a reference to his side's recent poor domestic form.
"We created a lot of chances, were solid at the back and creative in midfield. I saw plenty of interesting things."
Fernando collected a backward pass from fellow midfielder Yoan Gouffran to strike from the edge of the box on 25 minutes and Wendel raced into the box to double the advantage from close range on the hour.
Gouffran then wrapped it up 15 minutes from time.
Girondins moved to 28 points from 14 games, two points ahead of seven-times champions Olympique Lyon, who were held to a 1-1 home draw by Stade Rennes.
Ghanaian striker Asamoah Gyan put the visitors in the lead with an angled shot on 14 minutes but Lyon responded with a superb free kick by Argentina forward Lisandro Lopez shortly before the break.
Rennes keeper Nicolas Douchez pulled out just before the kickoff because of a sore ankle and was replaced in goal by teenager Abdoulaye Diallo, who played his first Ligue 1 match at the age of 17.
Auxerre dropped to third, level on points with Lyon, after a 1-0 defeat at Paris St Germain on Saturday.
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